“Watch What He Does on the Pitch”: Karim Benzema Slams Criticism on Former Rival Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is one of the best players in the world and his performances have seldom left any room for criticism. However, things have been different ever since he joined Paris Saint Germain this season after spending over 20 years at FC Barcelona.

Messi has only scored one goal in Ligue 1 so far in eleven games for PSG. While he has added four assists too, his numbers have been very subpar if we take his standards into account. As a result, he has received a lot of criticism from fans and pundits alike, but one man has backed him throughout.

Karim Benzema defends Lionel Messi despite his form in Ligue 1

Real Madrid forward, Karim Benzema is in the form of his life at the moment. He placed fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings this season, behind Robert Lewandowski, Jorginho, and eventual winner Lionel Messi. The Frenchman had played against Messi for over a decade in El Clasicos and has seen what he can do on the pitch.

He recently came out to show his support for Messi in an interview and said that no one can criticize a player like Messi. Benzema also said that Messi was adapting to a new club and the league and that he’s going to succeed at Paris Saint Germain.

“How won’t he succeed? It is just a period of adaptation because he is not scoring a lot of goals. But watch what he does on the pitch. In any case, you cannot criticise a player like that, he who criticises Messi, knows nothing about football in fact,” Benzema said.

Benzema and his stats for Real Madrid this season

The Frenchman has found his form and was recently incorporated back into the national team set-up after his performances. Benzema has played 21 La Liga games this season, and he has scored a mind-blowing 17 goals. Moreover, he has also added 7 assists to his tally.

He has produced similar numbers in the UCL, where he has scored five goals in five games as Madrid try to get their hands back on the UCL trophy.

Read More: WATCH: Manchester United Youngster Scores Winner, Proves Manager Right Against Cristiano Ronaldo